New wired smart guitar headphones offer immersive audio and built-in amp for listening or guitar/bass practice and play
Positive Grid announces Spark NEO Core, the newest member of the Spark NEO family of smart guitar headphones. These wired headphones integrate a Spark guitar amp in a lightweight, ergonomic design that offers plug-in simplicity for electric, acoustic and bass players. Users can also enjoy onboard guitar tone presets, access to dozens of amps and effects, plus AI-powered tone generation.
Just like the original wireless Spark NEO, the new Spark NEO Core doubles as premium Bluetooth headphones that deliver rich, detailed sound for listening to music or streaming podcasts. Designed for total immersion without distraction, Spark NEO Core makes it possible to experience premium tone anywhere––from late-night guitar jamming to quiet home practice and audio streaming.Clear, Immersive Sound
Spark NEO Core shares the same premium audio engineering found in the original Spark NEO, delivering high quality sound with crisp highs, tight lows, and balanced mids.
The custom 40mm drivers are tuned for guitar and bass frequencies, so every note resonates with rich, detailed, sound—from clean melodic passages to high-gain riffs. An Advanced Bio Fiber (ABF) diaphragm enhances sound clarity and durability, ensuring consistent performance across every genre of music or instrument type.
Endless Tone Options
Spark NEO Core connects seamlessly with the Spark app, unlocking access to 33 amps, 43 effects, and thousands of community-shared presets through Positive Grid’s online ToneCloud. Additional creative tools such as backing tracks and Auto Chords enable users to learn, experiment, and expand their musical ideas effortlessly.
Guitarists can also use the app’s Spark AI feature to instantly create or discover tones by describing their desired sound. Whether chasing classic warmth, modern drive, or shimmering acoustic textures, Spark AI intelligently delivers amp and effect combinations tailored to the player’s style and needs.
Designed for Comfort and Ease
Built for extended wear, Spark NEO Core features soft, ergonomic ear cups and a lightweight construction that minimizes fatigue. The noise-isolating design enhances focus, allowing users to stay immersed in their sound without external interference.
Players can quickly connect using a standard ¼” guitar cable*, for immediate performance and authentic Spark tone. Onboard controls allow fast access to four customizable preset tones and quick volume adjustments.
Long-lasting BatteryPower
With up to 6–8 hours of battery life and USB-C charging, Spark NEO Core supports everything from brief warm-ups to long creative sessions or podcast streaming.
Spark NEO Core comes in a classic black finish and is available for USD $159 through Positive Grid’s online store. It’s also available through Amazon and authorized music dealers worldwide.
Time to start training for your local rock and roll marathon: Foo Fighters have confirmed their first stadium tour since the massive 2023-2024 Everything or Nothing at All run that sold out football and baseball fields the world over. Kicking off August 4 at Rogers Stadium in Toronto, the new tour will see Foo Fighters bringing the maximum volume euphoria of the band’s recent surprise US club gigs and overseas outdoor / arena spectaculars to a total of 12 North American cities, concluding (for now) September 26 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
Queens of the Stone Age will be direct support on all dates except September 12 in Fargo.
General on sale for all shows is Friday, October 31 at 10am local time. Don’t sleep on information re: tickets, pre-sales and more at foofighters.com
If that’s not enough good news for you, today sees the release of new Foo Fighters song “Asking for a Friend.” Featuring a decidedly darker melodic approach than the smash hit “Today’s Song,” “Asking for a Friend” ratchets up the energy and intensity of its predecessor in favor of hypnotic opening verses that build and explode into impassioned refrains of “What is real? I’m asking for a friend…” By the time the song's final breakneck rave-up screeches to a halt with a throat-shredding “Or is this the end?”, FF fans of all ages will find themselves joyfully bludgeoned into submission.
Dave Grohl wrote at length about inspiration for the new music and upcoming tour, in a post that read in part:
"Since our return to the stage in San Luis Obispo five weeks ago, we have been reminded of why we love and are forever devoted to doing this Foo Fighters thing. From reuniting as a band and staring at a list of 30 years worth of songs to brush off, to reimagining versions with the incredible blessing of the one and only Ilan Rubin behind the drums, to reconnecting with our amazing fans and blasting them with everything we’ve got (no matter the size of the venue) because we would not be here without them, we have the most solid core. And the sun is finally rising over the horizon.
What better way to share the view than with close friends?
In 1992 I first saw the legendary Kyuss perform at the Off Ramp in Seattle and met Mr. Josh Homme. The band were friends of a friend, and before long their album Blues for the Red Sun became the soundtrack to that summer. 33 years later and with many miles behind us, I have shared some of my life’s most rewarding musical moments with my dear friend, Josh. A lifelong bond that goes far beyond the sound we’ve made together. So it is with great happiness that we can share this next chapter together with his almighty Queens of the Stone Age.
Take cover.
But none of this would be complete without new music to share from Pat, Nate, Chris, Rami, Ilan and I. ‘Asking for a Friend’ is a song for those who have waited patiently in the cold, relying on hope and faith for their horizon to appear. Searching for ‘proof’ when hanging by a wish until the sun shines again.
Many more shows to come as well -- keep an eye out for impending announcements and sign up to the mailing list at: foofighters.com to stay inFFormed.
Foo Fighters are Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat Smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee and Ilan Rubin.
FOO FIGHTERS
2026 Stadium Tour
August 4 — Toronto ON — Rogers Stadium August 6 — Detroit MI — Ford Field August 8 — Chicago IL — Soldier Field August 10 — Cleveland OH — Huntington Bank Field August 13 — Philadelphia PA — Lincoln Financial Field August 15 — Nashville TN — Nissan Stadium August 17 — Washington DC — Nationals Park September 12 — Fargo ND — Fargodome September 15 — Regina SK — Mosaic Stadium September 17 — Edmonton AB — Commonwealth Stadium September 20 — Vancouver BC — BC Place September 26 — Las Vegas NV — Allegiant Stadium
Fans can sign up for Artist Presales now through Sunday, October 26 at 11:59pm PT.
If you are already on Foo Fighters Newsletter, sign up using the same email address at https://livemu.sc/foofighterslist for first access to tickets during the Newsletter Artist Presale. Tickets will be available beginning on Tuesday, October 28 at 10am local time
If you are not signed up to Foo Fighters Newsletter, sign up at https://livemu.sc/foofighters for access to the General Artist Presale. General Artist Presale begins on Wednesday, October 29 at 10am local time.
IRON MAIDEN today announces the highly anticipated North American dates of their critically acclaimed RUN FOR YOUR LIVES WORLD TOUR. In celebration of their 50th Anniversary, the band will be performing at stadiums and major amphitheaters across the United States and Canada, allowing fans the chance to witness the brand new, state-of-the-art production, on the scale it is intended for – huge stages in outdoor venues, to accompany the once-in-a-lifetime setlist of songs from the band’s groundbreaking first nine albums. They will also headline America’s biggest rock festival, Louder Than Life at the Highland Festival Grounds in Kentucky on 17th September 2026.
Steve Harris says, “We are greatly looking forward to bringing this RUN FOR YOUR LIVES TOUR to North America and hope the fans enjoy seeing the show and hearing the set list as much as we do playing it. It’s an added bonus to have a few of our good friends on the tour with us. MEGADETH are playing all the shows and it’s an honour to have them join us on their last ever tour. We also have Anthrax with us on the bigger shows, we had a great time with them when they came out with us on Ed Force One around the world in 2016. We’re delighted to have both bands with us for this tour and know our fans will enjoy seeing them.”
Bruce Dickinson adds, “This whole tour has been such great fun. I really enjoy belting out all these great old songs, and the whole band are loving playing them too! We’ve got all the big ones from that early period including Hallowed, Run To The Hills, Trooper, Number Of The Beast, Killers, Powerslave, 2 Minutes… and some of them we haven’t played in the US for over 20 years!! Plus there’s some real epics including my particular favourite ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ and Seventh Son... We are doing them all and more. I mean, who wouldn’t for a 50th birthday party!”
“For a tour celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Iron Maiden” notes Manager Rod Smallwood, “the scale and incredible visual aspects of this tour deserve larger venues than the arenas we have generally played in the past. We particularly chose this time of year to go bigger outdoors but to give us darkness when we go on stage so you will see the best of the production. Fans certainly won’t be disappointed in the show or the 50th anniversary set list that is for sure!
“We particularly look forward to playing the huge shows in Montréal and the Alamodome in San Antonio, two of the biggest shows we have ever played in North America plus, of course, Louder Than Life – America’s biggest Rock Festival! Along with the stadium shows in Los Angeles, New Jersey and Hershey we have also chosen to play a few of the biggest amphitheaters as they always have a fantastic atmosphere and great visual sight lines. We’re also going to be doing everything we can to bring the hugely popular Eddie’s Pop-up Dive Bar experience across the Atlantic for the very first time. Our European fans just loved these and we’re convinced that the mix of Maiden fans, Trooper Beer & exclusive Tour merch makes for a winning combination.
“Likewise we will continue to offer the well-loved Trooper VIP Experience at all venues.
“Finally it was really special on our European dates this year to see that the vast majority of our fans appreciated and respected our request to severely limit their use of phones at our concerts, ideally just keeping it in their pockets the whole time, especially in those standing areas in front of the stage. Our fans’ understanding and cooperation made a colossal difference to the atmosphere of every show and increased the enjoyment enormously for the band and fans alike.
So for all our North American shows we are once again requesting that fans keep their phones in their pockets and enjoy the show ‘in the moment’, rather than raise their phone in the air trying to film sections and thus inconveniencing those around them and annoying the band. So if a so-called fan near you thinks they are special and filming what they selfishly want please just ask them, very politely of course, to put their phone somewhere the sun doesn’t shine!”
These upcoming tour dates will mark 45 years since IRON MAIDEN first visited Canada and the USA on the 1981 Killer World Tour, and feature some of the biggest shows the band has ever played there. The return to BMO Stadium concert in Los Angeles on September 25th will be the 25th time the band has played in the City of Angels. A history-making tour for sure!
There will be an exclusive Iron Maiden Fan Club presale beginning on Tuesday October 28. Headline shows go on general sale on Friday October 31. Head toironmaiden.com for all ticketing and tour information.
Wampler Pedals proudly announces the release of the MINI EGO 76, a studio-grade compressor pedal that channels the unmistakable spirit and tone of the legendary 1176 Peak Limiter. Designed by renowned pedal designer Brian Wampler, the MINI EGO 76 brings decades of recording studio magic to your pedalboard—without sacrificing dynamics, space, or signal integrity.
While many compressor pedals are known for flattening tone, the MINI EGO 76 takes a different path: it enhances, enriches, and elevates. Inspired by the iconic 1176—arguably the most celebrated compressor in studio history—this compact powerhouse captures the musical soul of vintage FET compression while offering modern controls designed specifically for guitarists.
A Studio Icon, Reimagined for the Stage
First introduced in 1967, the 1176 Peak Limiter was the first solid-state compressor of its kind, famed for its aggressive character and FET-driven sonic signature. The MINI EGO 76 borrows that DNA and reshapes it for a live performance context, giving players access to that same harmonic richness and dynamic control, all in a pedalboard-friendly format.
“At its core, the MINI EGO 76 is about tone,” says Brian Wampler. “It’s not just about compression—it's about adding character, feel, and response that you typically only get from the best studio gear. We set out to recreate the experience of using an 1176, not just the circuitry.”
Classic Tone Meets Modern Control
The MINI EGO 76 features three essential knobs—Level, Compress, and Parallel Clean Blend—allowing for precise tonal shaping. Two three-way switches provide selectable Attack and Release settings, based on classic studio configurations. The result is a pedal that gives players fast, intuitive control over how the compression reacts, from subtle sustain to punchy, expressive snap.
A standout feature is the Parallel Clean Blend, enabling players to mix in their uncompressed signal—an approach borrowed from high-end studio production techniques. This lets guitarists preserve articulation and dynamics, even while achieving that signature “glue” of compression.
Built for the Pedalboard, Inspired by the Control Room
Encased in a premium chameleon sapphire finish with aluminum knobs and rugged hardware, the MINI EGO 76 is compact enough to live comfortably on any pedalboard. Designed to be an “always-on” pedal, it delivers studio-level enhancement without adding bulk or complexity.
Key Features:
High-grade components for superior tone and response
Parallel Clean Blend for studio-style parallel compression
Five controls: Level, Blend, Compress, plus Attack and Release switches
Premium aluminum construction and finish
Compact footprint: 1.6” x 3.9” x 2”
9V DC operation, 20mA draw
Built in the U.S.A. with a limited 5-year warranty
More Than a Compressor—A Sonic Signature
Far from a simple emulation, the MINI EGO 76 is Brian Wampler’s tribute to the timeless sound of analog studio recordings. Whether it’s sweetening a clean rhythm track or adding punch to a lead line, the MINI EGO 76 becomes an extension of your tone—one you may never want to turn off.
The MINI EGO 76 is available now at wamplerpedals.com and authorized dealers worldwide.
Building upon a legacy of sonic innovation, Mr. Black proudly unveils the Tri-Chorale – a lush, three-voice chorus inspired by the legendary Southern California designs of the mid-1980s.
At its core, the Tri-Chorale features three independent delay lines modulating in perfect harmony to create a rich, organic shimmer that feels alive under your fingers. Sharing a common LFO but offset in time and phase, these delay triplets breathe unprecedented depth and dimension into the classic chorus sound—elevating it to new, breathtaking territory. Sometimes, the sum is greater than its parts, and the Tri-Chorale proves it.
Key features:
Three independent modulated delay lines
Full, lossless wet/dry mix control
Wide range of LFO speeds
Pedalboard friendly footprint
True-Bypass
Powered by “Industry Standard” 9VDC
The Tri-Chorale carries a MAP of $199.95 and is handmade, one-at-a-time in Portland, Oregon U.S.A.
